Cathodic vacuum-arc methods of coating deposition and surface modification are widely recognized for use in the manufacture of cutting tools, shaping tools and other tools, in mechanical engineering, and in the instrument making industry. The primary advantage of cathodic vacuum-arc methods, in comparison with other deposition methods, is that various types of coatings and surface layers may be formed, including coatings and surface layers that cannot be produced by other conventional methods.
Cathodic vacuum-arc systems generate an ion flow that is unfortunately laden or contaminated with droplets and hard fragments of the cathode material commonly referred to as macroparticles. If the macroparticles reach the substrate, the quality of the synthesized coating is degraded.
Conventional cathodic vacuum-arc cathode systems incorporate measures to suppress the flow of macroparticles from the cathode to the substrate surface under treatment. One conventional measure is to rely on a magnetic filter that cleans macroparticles from the ion flux based on spatial separation of the trajectories of charged plasma components (i.e., ions) and the trajectories of macroparticles. Another conventional measure is to place an obstacle, such as a screen, baffles, or the walls of a bent tubular plasma duct, between the substrate and the cathode to occlude direct line-of-sight paths between the cathode and the substrate. In such an obstacle-based system, ions bypass the obstacle to the output of the system and are directed to the substrate guided by electromagnetic fields. Macroparticles, which are massive and weakly charged, and neutral atoms are not responsive to magnetic and electric fields. As a result, macroparticles and neutral atoms tend to move in rectilinear trajectories and are ultimately intercepted by the obstacle. Thus, the output flow is free of macroparticles.
What is needed is a cathodic vacuum-arc deposition apparatus that improves upon the construction and operation of a conventional cathodic deposition vacuum-arc apparatus.